Track practice

We had track practice today. It was fun. We got there a bit late (we'd told her we would be late) but still got full benefit of the entire practice. We stretched for a looooong time. I'm not a big fan of stretching, but hey. I'm learning. You gotta stretch.

We did interval training; sprints for straights, easy for curves. I did sprints for straights and walked the curves. I still did okay though; 11.25 laps in 30 minutes. It works out to a slower pace mile than I like but I have to get past the competitive part and start working on stamina. It's going to be the hardest part of this effort, I think; getting past the need to win, to stop running fast and petering out, and to get to what I've always lacked: endurance. I need the endurance. It's what this is all about. If I'd allow myself to "learn" or gain endurance, the speed would come.

I'm thinking of doing a 5k Saturday morning instead of group practice. I'll also be missing group practice on the 11th so it might not be one of my better ideas, but I really am hungry for a good solid 5k race. I want to see where I really am and what my true pace is. I'm still thinking about it - I have until early Saturday morning to make a decision.

Besides, Frances might make my decision for me. Dang that big ol' huge hurricane wanting to spoil Labor Day plans!!!

I joined Weight Watchers again. Actually, re-joined. I'm a lifetime member and I'm at goal, so I only have to pay for today's meeting and after that - as long as I'm at goal - I don't pay. I re-joined so I can work on my nutrition and keep myself accountable food-wise. I know I'll get all caught up into the web of "Well, I'm marathon training and probably burning 5 million calories a day, I can have a bag of chips and dip, no problem!" and maybe at some point that WILL be true (about the calories), but I don't think there are too many marathoners completing events on a diet of chips, dip and beer. So I need to think more along the lines of fruits, vegetables and water. Thank goodness Weight Watchers meetings have evolved past "How many Skinny Cow Ice Cream bars can you eat in a day and stay under your points range?" This meeting was a good one and I actually knew someone there (imagine - someone else under 80 at a New Port Richey Weight Watchers meeting!!!)

Oh, and I also voted like a good girl today. Unfortunately, Pasco Co. doesn't really count in the "Tampa Bay area" so they are forgetting to put our returns up on the screen during that new stupid adult-cartoon show. Or, if they do put them up, they put them up s-l-o-w-l-y like it could take us all night to collectively read Dave Abremski. Yeah, okay, I got it. I voted for the underdog (again). He got 16% of the vote. Let's move on!!

I ACHE, so I'm off to the bathtub. Tomorrow is shoe clinic, which I am looking forward to because it means I get to spend money :D. I need new shoes DESPERATELY. I'm almost positive it's one of the reasons I am in such pain, especially around my knees.

Is it really running season again?

I refer to the fall as my "running season" - I kind of slack off during the summer months and then when the fall comes, sign up for some 5ks and get serious about it again.

Tonight reminded me that it is TIME. I did my 5k track in the neighborhood tonight. I don't know what my time was since I have a new heartrate monitor/stopwatch that I simply don't get. As techie as I am, watches seem to escape me. Kind of like balancing my checkbook. I can do algebra, but not subtraction (especially if there are $$ signs involved in the subtraction). But I digress...

My friend/teammate/partner-in-crime ran with me tonight. It was fun but we need to remember our headphones next time. It's hard to hold a conversation and push yourself, we learned. Better to just jam to some 80's tunes and get the job done. The talking can take place later.

Tomorrow night we have track training and I am SO excited for that!!! We'll get pointers on form and equipment and speed-training and runnerspeak and all that. This practice was one of the motivators for my signing up for this program. I hope it's as great as I anticipate.

Today we started making progress in fundraising, too. We set a date for a Beef O'Brady's 10% fundraiser night (Sept. 15 if you are in the neighborhood). We need to distribute flyers, make table tents, etc. but we can handle that.

I get to check out the Diz landscape for my anniversary!! Not really; we are "cheating" and heading over to Universal (gasp!), but I can eye the terrain anyway. I might pick up some Disney motivational "stuff" while I'm there.

I'm starting to wonder whose bright idea it was to own a two-story house. My "ouch" post applies to tonight, too.

OUCH

That should cover it.

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

I got 2 new pairs of running shorts, a running tank and 3 pairs of Thorlos tonight.

I am SET.

Now I'm off to lick my wounds and curl up into fetal position for the night.

OUCH.

Well, I did it!! I got up at 10 minutes of 6 (YES, SIX!) and made it to the causeway by 6:33. Note to self: try to get there earlier. 15 more minutes of sleep isn't going to mean a thing if you are running late.

I ran 5 miles. I think I was waking up just as I was finishing. Throughout the run I was doing my usual, "I hate this. Where's the runner's high? I have to pee. Why didn't I have breakfast? I hate this. Will it ever end?" and then, remarkably, while I stood in the parking lot drinking my water I thought, "Dang. I want to do that again!" Is this some kind of weird sadomasochism?

I got home about 8:30. On the way I stopped for beer (yay!), milk, granola bars and cream cheese. Got my Dunkin' Donuts coffee and bagels and donuts. By 8:30 I was walking through the door!!

I think I can actually do this Saturday-morning-run thing again. And again and again. I was surprised at myself - how easily (somewhat) and quickly I polished off a 5 mile road run. I have a little more faith in myself this morning and my ability to run 5 times that amount in 4 months.

A little more.

And here it is!!

This blog is created to record the trials, tribulations and triumphs associated with getting me to Disney to run a marathon on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Bless anyone who chooses to "tune into" this page for updates and comments.

I begin this journal a little wary; I am not sure whether this old and previously unathletic body has what it takes to run 26.2 miles or, as Chuck so aptly put it, from here to Nan and Pap's. Geez.

It hasn't started out very well, either. Last night was the kick-off, and Chuck was late getting home. Actually, he never got home; I had to meet him in a parking lot on the way to the bottom of what I am now convinced is the longest county in the United States of America. Just to add insult to injury: two fronts (not cold fronts, I assure you that!) collided right over the length of the county, creating the massive downpours and rains we expected when Charley was knocking. What should have taken 45 minutes took a full hour and a half drive, and we got there as they were cleaning up.

While I was there I met in person my mentor, whom I can already tell will be a perfect match for me. She cheerfully announced our first group training in Dunedin, at 6:15. IN THE MORNING. Saturday morning. Oh dear god. The first thing I thought of was, "Damn. No beer Friday night." Yes, I have my priorities straight. Chuck grinned a Cheshire smile; he's been urging me to get up in the wee hours of a weekend morn for as long as I've known him - he thinks it's the best part of the weekend. Oh, what have I gotten myself into??

But this is a goal I've set for myself, and the way I see it, it is an "all-around" goal. It will encompass many aspects of my life, many which need improving. It will force me to work out - not just for weight loss, but to be a better endurance athlete. It will force me to focus on other people outside my little happy microcosm: cancer survivors (and non-survivors :(), other people who are making a difference in our community, teammates, friends, family, etc. It will force me to set up organizational goals and meet them: fundraising, paperwork, fitting in do-or-die practices. It will help me make new friends in an arena I've grown pretty passionate about in the past few years: distance running.

I have a friend who has made this committment with me. We will work together to reach our fundraising goals and get each other up for practices, etc. She's the perfect partner in this: naturally athletic, also a mother of four and very goal-oriented.

Today I have to do an "easy" 30 minute run. Funny how I scoffed at the training schedule until I noticed that by Halloween I'd be doing an "easy run of 14 miles". Daggone. But I can do it.

And so, away we go!! :) Amazing that in 6 months I'll be able to say I ran a marathon. Amazing. Feel free to comment in my blog; I need all the encouragement I can get!!

Until tomorrow...